Home - Befriend a Child

Celebrating 50 Years of Friendships

Click here to find out all the ways you can get involved with our 50th Anniversary Celebrations!

Apply to volunteer

We are always looking for kind, caring and reliable people to bring positivity, and new experiences to a young person’s life. All we need is a few hours of your time once a week for a minimum commitment of a year after training.

The difference we make

All we need is a few hours of your time twice a month, and you can help a young person to have new experiences, gain vital confidence and self-esteem.

Fundraising

At Befriend a Child we are always so grateful for any support we receive. Whether that is in the form of a donation, regular giving, taking on a fundraising challenge, attending one of our events, or by nominating us for your workplace charity of the year partnership, your support can go a long way in shaping the life of a local child or young person.

At Befriend a Child we ensure that local children and young people have the opportunity to create positive childhood memories.

Volunteer with us

Make a positive difference to a local young person’s life today.

Whether you are supporting a child as a befriender or mentor through our 1:1 befriending and mentoring programmes, helping them build skills and make friends at our group activity sessions or youth clubs, or supporting our fundraising team, you will be playing an active role in changing the life of a local child or young person.

Support us

Supporting a local children’s charity can be so rewarding.

Befriend a Child can only continue to provide our invaluable programmes and services with the support of the local community.

Whether you nominate us as charity partner, become a regular donor or choose to fundraise for us. we are so grateful for the support.

Fundraise for us

It’s invaluable to know you can make a direct impact on local children.

Befriend a Child rely on fundraising to sustain and develop our programmes. Do you have a challenge you have been keen to do, are you looking to organise an event and support a local charity or is your workplace looking for a charity to support to make a direct and immediate impact?

Our Impact

young people benefitted from a volunteer

young people attended our youth clubs

families have received support

Case Studies, Latest News and Upcoming Events

50 Years of Befriend a Child – Jess, Stephen and Mark’s Befriending Journey

Volunteers Jess and Stephen first began their journey eleven years ago after they attended a Befriend a Child dinner. Hearing firsthand about Befriend a Child and its mission to support local children living in difficult life situations, Jess and Stephen found themselves talking about what they had learned and felt inspired to get involved.

When they applied to become befrienders as a couple in the early
summer of 2014, they never imagined they’d still be befriending a decade later!

15 July, 2025

A Decade of Befriending, Rory and Julia’s story

When they applied to become befrienders as a couple in the early
summer of 2014, they never imagined they’d still be befriending a decade later!

While studying at the University of Aberdeen, Julia came across an advertisement for Befriend a Child and decided to apply. “It sounded like a great cause that would also give me some more volunteering experience,” she explained…

11 February, 2025

Jane’s 20 year Befriending Journey

When they applied to become befrienders as a couple in the early
summer of 2014, they never imagined they’d still be befriending a decade later!

Volunteer Befriender Jane began her journey with Befriend a Child 20 years ago after learning about the charity through her voluntary work with the Children’s Panel. At the time, her daughter was a teenager and was becoming more and more independent, so Jane decided to use her free time to become a role model in the lives of local children.

11 February, 2025

Befriend a Child Quiz Night

Gather your friends, family or colleagues, brush up your trivia, and join us for an unforgettable evening where your knowledge could make a real difference! From pop culture to history, sports or science, our Quiz Night is your chance to test your brainpower and compete for glory, all while raising

Boogie Boozy Brunch

Get ready to groove your way into the most dazzling event of the year, Befriend a Child’s Boogie Boozy Brunch! When: Saturday 21st March 2026 Where: The Marcliffe Hotel, 10:30am – 4pm Calling all dancing queens, brunch babes and funky souls! Whether you’re out with colleagues or spending a day